It doesn’t come easily for everyone, and sometimes it takes a while to accept the truth about who you are. "To be fair, it took me a while to figure myself out." Despite the “born this way” narrative pushed by politicians, pundits, well-meaning activists, and Lady Gaga, any most queer people will tell you that coming to terms with your identity is a journey. "My parents haven't figured me out yet," Katie says following her showcase of her filmmaking creativity.
For Katie to not only know the title, but to know it well enough to create a parody of it is such a beautiful nod to her identity. The Dial “M” for Murder reference is probably easy for people to catch, but for those that are unaware, the real film Y Tu Mamá También by Alfonso Cuarón is one of the most well known pieces of queer cinema. A stack of her greatest hits include titles like Dial “B” for Burger, her iconic series of Dog Cop and in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, Y tu Papá También. the Machine's Katie is a filmmaker, and she’s one of those kids who has been making home movies for her entire life. Voiced by the openly queer Abbi Jacobson ( Broad City) The Mitchells vs. Sure, everyone feels like an alien imposter inhabiting a fleshy meat sack when they’re about to go off to college but that line paired with what we’ve already learned about Katie based on her bedroom sanctuary feels like a bat signal screaming “baby queer.” Of course there are plenty of non-queer kids that make weird movies and have excellent taste in film, but when you’ve spent a lifetime having to headcanon your own representation, these little hints are usually all we ever get. When Katie finally speaks to us, a candy-coated rainbow outlines her frozen image, highlighting her pen-drawn faux tattoos, permanent marker applied black nail polish, and her voiceover stating, “I’ve always felt a little different than everyone else.” I’d be lying if I said it didn’t look awfully familiar to this queer cinephile’s teenage bedroom and soundtrack. the Machines has arrived to rightfully claim the throne of queer representation in animated cinema.įollowing the cold open, we’re introduced to Katie jamming out in her cluttercore bedroom adorned with mock B-movie posters and a rainbow comforter while “I Want More” by the riot grrrl band, bangs. Now, armed with an intentionally placed rainbow button, a laptop filled with absurdist comedy short films, a brain cluttered with anxiety, a desire to find “her people,” and a continued message that sometimes it takes time to figure out who you are, Katie Mitchell of The Mitchells vs. The first time a mainstream animated film acknowledged an openly gay character was less than a decade ago. Fans rejoiced when Laika’s ParaNorman in 2012 revealed the ultra-jock “Mitch” as gay in his final moment on screen, making him the first openly gay character in a mainstream animated film. Disney’s Onward released just last year was the first time the House of Mouse explicitly featured a LGBTQ+ character with most representation relegated to queer coded villains (I still love you, Ursula). Despite the progress made in animated television series like Craig of the Creek, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, Adventure Time, Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, The Owl House, and most notably, Steven Universe, animated films have been moving at a snail’s pace in regard to LGBTQ+ representation.
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